An offshoot to the very stirring debates below would be that as time goes on, restorers, whether their goal is for operation or static display, are in need of a dwindling supply of parts to complete a job; the operator because parts wear out, the museum for authentic "originals". With the prohibitively high cost of manufacturing new inspirators, air pumps, etc., should we be making offers to the park engine people for the parts? It does go on, although I don't know to what extent. I don't see anything wrong with this provided a suitable replica is put in its place, and the money used to stabilize the existing engine. Any thoughts on this?

jason.whiteley@sympatico.ca

I would tend to think that in the long run, it would be more cost effective to obtain new parts, than old ones from a park engine, for two reasons. First, the parts off of a park engine are probably not in very good shape, and are just as old, if not older than the ones they are replacing. Furthermore, there are several people who make or import injectors, air compressors, etc that are brand-new, ready for years of reliable service. If it were my decision, I would pay the little bit extra for new parts, and leave the park engines alone.
From a preservationist's perspective, I would leave the park engine alone, because removing parts, and replacing them with wooden replicas does destroy the authenticity of the object. Plus, what will happen if that locomotive ends up in a museum someday? Our friend Dave Larthop from Savannah is facing the same problem with his CofGA 2-8-0 right now. In the end, buy new parts, or have them made, in the end it will be better.

wilkidm@wku.edu

> An offshoot to the very stirring debates
> below would be that as time goes on,
> restorers, whether their goal is for
> operation or static display, are in need of
> a dwindling supply of parts to complete a
> job; the operator because parts wear out,
> the museum for authentic
> "originals". With the
> prohibitively high cost of manufacturing new
> inspirators, air pumps, etc., should we be
> making offers to the park engine people for
> the parts? It does go on, although I don't
> know to what extent. I don't see anything
> wrong with this provided a suitable replica
> is put in its place, and the money used to
> stabilize the existing engine. Any thoughts
> on this?

Jason; Have you checked on the actual cost of say, a new air pump? I'm not sure that "prohibitive" is the case. I'm not sure that Bert Williams is still making compressors
but he bought out the Westinghouse's air compressor line, patterns, etc. and was making
new ones for industrial use in explosive atmospheres. Also, the new compressor I saw some
years back on the 4960 was a Crown compressor so some of them went for RR use.
The cost might not be as high as you are thinking.
Jim


rrfanjim@mvn.net

It's Barney Watts who acquired the Westinghouse air pump business from Crown. He was at the ARM/TRAIN meeting in Salisbury, NC. He has replacement parts and I understand got all the information and paterns, etc for making complete units.

Brian Norden

bnorden49@earthlink.net

Bernie Watts at backshop 303-424-6882 can build you a new pump or maybe has an old one to rebuild in stock, might know of a dead unrebuildable core for cosmetic use.

I was truly underwhelmed by the response I didn't get several months ago when I offered to buy back the parts removed from our 223 during its stint as park hulk in Columbus, GA. Representatives from at least two of the operations that took parts are frequently on this list making politically correct noises about preservation but it seems their follow through doesn't live up to their own publicity.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

Dave;

I wonder if it is like the typical geo-political thing - like the native indians wanting their land back. "You can't have it! we live here now!" *

I decry the stealing of parts from park engines, whether stolen by someone for their basements, or stolen by groups to keep a locomotive running.

Basically, if "we" can't keep locomotives running by exchanging rather than rebuilding, "we" can't sustain the future of steam.

* This example was chosen only because it is local to me, and is in no way a statement on first nations people, ok? I actually tend to agree with first nations people more and more, but that is beyond the scope here.

JohnS.

> I was truly underwhelmed by the response I
> didn't get several months ago when I offered
> to buy back the parts removed from our 223
> during its stint as park hulk in Columbus,


john.stewart@crc.ca

Unfortunately, stealing of parts for whatever selfish reason does occur, but I was referring to the legal, and mutually agreed purchase or exchange of parts. I am aware of at least one group who has purchased parts from a park engine and I assumed buying new ones was not economically feasible is most cases. Obviously, if the price is right, news parts would be better that rebuilding old ones.

jason.whiteley@sympatico.ca